Pfizer buys King for its 'abuse-proof' slow release technology

If you need more proof of the value of new drug delivery methods, look at this week’s news about Pfizer paying $3.6 billion to buy King Pharmaceutical. King does many things, but what made King attractive to Pfizer was its drug delivery technology—under the names of Remoxy and Acurox.

Remoxy is similar to OxyContin, a painkiller whose slow-release delivery technology can easily be circumvented by simply crushing the pill. Much has been written and discussed in the past few years about OxyContin abuse. Remoxy, however, is tougher to abuse. So is Acurox, although it is faster-releasing. But as Fierce Biotech reported back in April, the FDA is going to need a lot of convincing that Acurox is abuse-proof. The agency rejected Acurox and sent the company back to the drawing board.

Still, Pfizer sees some potential in these technologies, since it has purchased King. Acurox was first developed by Acura Pharmaceuticals, Remoxy by Pain Therapeutics. King reached license agreements with both companies, a move that made the company attractive enough to be purchased by Pfizer.